Across The Hall
by sparkly-eyebrows
Summary: Clary has the average life of an artist, and a new roommate named Isabelle. Though she would be a lot more happy if it weren't for the boy living across the hall who seems intent on annoying her whenever he has the chance.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer-I do not own anything of the mortal instrument series although I dearly wish I did. All the names, characters and the like belong to Cassandra Clare. I'm not sure how this chapter is so please review.**

Trying to hail a cab in Brooklyn is like trying to draw something that you actually like. You can try a hundred times, and it'll only work once, maybe twice.

Eventually giving up, I made my way down the trash piled streets grumbling about how my hair had finally co-operated and if even a drop of water hit it; I would sue the country. As if I was psychic, a huge drop of water fell from the heavens and hit my nose. An army of rain soon joined and I found myself picking up pace, and running all the way home.

My apartment wasn't much. It was on the smaller side, with dull, scarlet bricks; and climbing vines scaling the sides. Whatever metal decorated it, was rusting and cracking adding what I like to call 'character' to the building.

I ran up the crumbling steps and ungracefully fell through the door. A girl with long, sleek black hair and dark brown eyes turned around at the sound of my arrival and raised an eyebrow.

"Um, hi." She said, hiding a smirk. "My name is Isabelle Lightwood. Is there any chance you could tell me where a…." She trailed off looking down at a piece of paper. "Clary Fray is might be?"

Crap. I had completely forgotten that a girl was supposed to come check out my apartment. As cheap as this apartment already is, living off an artists wage, even if I do, do pretty well, was not easy. I'd figured if I could split the cost with another person, we could live more comfortably.

"Ah yeah hi that's me." I replied. "I would shake your hand but then we would both be soaked." She smiled slightly and looked at the ground.

"So I guess I should show you around. Follow me." I walked up the next set of stairs that led to the upper level with her in tow. Opening my door, I gestured that she should enter. Art supplies littered the floor and counters. If I'd remembered she was coming today, I could have cleaned up a bit. Damn my short memory.

"Its not too much. Two bedrooms, a small kitchen and living room." I said. "We'll have to share a bathroom but that shouldn't be a problem?" I ended on a high note.

"I really don't mind" She admired. "It's cozy looking, homey. Plus I already know what the basic layout is." She offered. "My step brother lives here."

"So at least we know who to go to if we need to borrow sugar." I joked lamely. Isabelle stood there for a second before bursting out into laughter. Soon I was laughing too and we continued for a moment before calming down.

"So would you be considering moving in here. Rent won't be expensive because we'll split it, not that it's thaaaaaat bad in the first place."

"Yeah I would like that." She smiled.

"Okay then Isabelle, the forms will be sent to you hopefully in a couple days, and you can start moving in any day."

"Izzy." She corrected. "Izzy?" I repeated puzzled. "Call me Izzy, not Isabelle." I blushed slightly and nodded. With that, I gave her my spare keys and she left.

Remembering that I was still soaked to the bone, I took a hot shower and landed on my bed with a huff. The moment that I got into a comfy position, I heard insistent knocks accompanied with multiple blurred 'Clary Clary Clary Clary Claries'.

I got up, regrettably leaving the warmth of my bed to answer the door. I'd almost slammed it shut when I saw who was standing on the other side in all his shining glory (intense sarcasm). Before it could fully close, Jace jammed his foot, stopping it.

"Ow." He whined. "That hurt shorty."

I'm not exactly sure when or why our small feud had started, but I do know that thoroughly annoyed with the fact that Jace lives just across from me and likes to bother me whenever he pleases.

"What do you want goldie." I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose.

"Food." He replied simply, opening the door fully and stepping inside. "I don't have anything to eat so I figured I might as well come over and see what you have."

"And who says you're allowed to eat my food?" I asked crossing my arms over my chest. "Who says your even allowed in my apartment?"

"Oh come on shorty, you know you daydream about moments like this." He grinned leaning against my door frame.

"_One_" I said holding up my pointer finger "My food. If you keep doing this, I'm going to expect you to start paying for it. _Two" _I stuck up a second finger. "I think we both know that _you're _the one who fantasises about _me_" I lowered my hand.

"Touché." He turned around and continued raiding my fridge.

"Uh hey Jace here's an idea, leave."

"Now what kind of friend would I be if I left you all by your self in this big old apartment?" He grabbed a couple leftovers from the fridge and walked to the living room turning on the tv and propping his feet up on my coffee table.

" Friend? You? Since when are we that close?" I replied, swatting his feet off the table.

He mumbled something unintelligible and pulled something from under him. Dangling in-between his fingers was one of my black bras.

"Well well red, if I didn't know any better, I'd think that you're trying to send me a message."

My face burned as I grabbed it from him and threw it into my room. "No need to be embarrassed." He called. "It's nice! I bet it would look even better on."

I returned to the sight of him waggling his eyebrows. "Out! NOW!" I yelled.

"Unfortunately," He sighed "I cannot."

"And whys that" I challenged.

"Because. Alec brought Magnus over and they are canoodling on my couch."

"Who says canoodling anymore and why is that my problem? Go the movies or something."

"All by myself." He made a puppy dog face.

"Yes Jace, you're a big boy I think you can handle it."

"Oooor, you could come with me. Like a date." He wiggled his eyebrow again.

"I tired Jace. Can you just go? I need sleep."

"Okay red you win this time." He pouted. "I guess I'll just go then." Jace got up and piled whatever food he hadn't finished into his arms before finally leaving.

I decided I would leave the mess for tomorrow and returned to my bed the had been calling my name. Hiden under my warm sheets, I fell into a dreamless sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer- I own nothing of the mortal instruments series much to my displeasure. **

**All the characters and the like belong to the wonderful Cassandra Clare.**

**P.S.- I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter. I'm still trying to figure **

**out exactly how to go about this so please bear with me. Thanks-Author**

Chapter -2

About a month later most of Izzy's paperwork had been filled out and she had started to move little things into the apartment.

I was awaken from a great dream involving The Doctor, Jack, Amy and a Shape shifter, to a sharp knock on the door. I got up, not daring to look in the mirror for fear that I might see how bad my bed head is, and walked to the door.

I pulled it open to see a happy, energetic, already dressed Isabelle on the other side. She had a cup of something in her hands that she pushed into mine and invited herself in. The delicious heavy scent of coffee hit me, waking me slightly. I followed her to the couch and groaned.

"Izzy, you have a key. You don't need to knock."

"I know, I know. I wanted you to get up because I'm moving most of my stuff in today." She smiled.

"So up, up." She shooed me off the couch. "Get dressed, take a shower, whatever you have to do. My brothers are waiting downstairs to help.

I groaned again and slumped my way back to my room, pulling out my jeans and a band t-shirt. I turned to the mirror and sighed, trying to pull my hair up into a bun I gave up and settled with what looked like a cupcake on the top of my head.

I pulled on a pair of sneakers and made my way down to where Isabelle and her brothers stood. One of them, maybe 25 looking, with dark, almost black hair put his hand out for me to shake. His skin was pale, like he spent most of his days indoor. What struck me were his vivid blue eyes. Altogether he wasn't hard to look at, at all.

Next to him stood another man who looked about the same age. Though where the other man wore dull, dark clothes, this man wore bright, sparkly attire. He looked of Asian decent, with sharp features and eyes that resembled a cats. His hair was spiked, pulled through with glittering gel and rings that sparkled as he put out his hand for me to shake as well.

Izzy turned to me and introduced. "Clary this is Alec, my brother." She pointed to the one with blue eyes. "And this-" She was cut off by the glittery man. "Magnus. My name is Magnus Bane. The boyfriend of this one." He hooked his thumb at Alec.

"I thought you said 'brothers'. Like more than one." I asked Izzy. Wait. Alec and Magnus. I'd heard those names multiple times somewhere. Oh god. Oh god no. Isabelle said that one of her brothers lived in the same apartment as me. No no no no no no.

"I'm baaaaaack!" A voice sang from behind me. "And I brought food!"

I closed my eyes and turned around. "This is my step-brother-"

"Jace." I rolled my eyes.

"Oh hey red, how are you this fine morning. Might I say your hair is looking absolutely astounding."

"You know I would really appreciate if people would stop cutting me off thanks." Izzy glaring at no one in particular. "So I guess that means that you know each other. Good, that will make everything less awkward."

"If you say so." I replied. "So what do you want to start with?"

She perked up at this slightly and started ordering who to grab what.

As I was grabbing a box, Jace purposely leaned up against me, reaching for one next to it. I moved to the other side and glared at him. He simply pretended that nothing was wrong and continued what he was doing.

A couple hours later we were almost done and decided to take a break for lunch. Jace said that he knew a good place and set off not looking to see if we were following. Everyone else had no problem catching up, but considering that I was almost a foot shorter than everyone else; I practically had to jog to keep up.

Eventually we made it in front of Jace's destination. It was a small resturant, with a chipping sign on the front labelled "Taki's". The building looked rugged from the outside, cold. It would look interesting to draw in back charcoal, with sharp, crisp lines.

Sighing I turned to Jace. "Not that I'm complaining or anything but this place kinda looks like a jail."

"A jail that serves really good food." He replied and walked in.

The inside looked a bit like a retro diner with polished red booths that were cracking in some places, and a long, sleek, black and white counter taking up most of the back of the room.

Izzy chose a spot and we sat down. Picking up one of the menus, I scanned the choices.

"And what can I get you all?" A warm voice asked. I looked up to find a tall, willowy blond girl holding a notepad, her pen poised. She had clear pale skin and unnaturally blue eyes. We took are turns ordering, and Magnus turned to me.

"So Clarissa, tell me a bit about yourself." Everyone's eyes settled on me as I began.

"I'm an artist." I started. "I do commissions and also sell my work at my step-dads book store. I mostly do portraits, but sometimes I do landscapes as well."

"Could you paint my cat?"

"Magnus!" Alec turned to him. "She's not going to paint your cat for you."

Magnus simply shrugged and winked at me.

Our food came and we settled to an easy banter.

A couple hours later Izzy and I had returned to our apartment after bringing the rest of the things in.

I had just set the coffee maker on when my phone rang blasting the song 'milkshake' into the air. Ahhhhh Simon's ringtone.

The moment I accepted I heard Simons voice fill the speaker. "I'm coming over."

"You know I love you Simon, but is there any specific reason or….."

"I'm bored." Was all he said.

"Okay then, I guess that you can also meet my new roommate."

"Oh yeah Bella or something right?"

"Isabelle. Oh and Simon? Try not to embarrass yourself in front of her?"

"Will do, be there soon love you."

"Love you too Si."

I hung up and sat down on the couch closing my eyes. I must have not realized how tired I was because I ended up falling asleep.


End file.
